


To Have A Home

by doctornineandthreequarters



Series: Iron Dad Bingo [19]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Homeless, Canon Divergence - Post-Avengers (2012), Homeless Peter Parker, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Peter Parker, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 00:53:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19240546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctornineandthreequarters/pseuds/doctornineandthreequarters
Summary: This was not how Peter Parker expected his life to go. Sure, he had dealt with tragedy, losing his parents at a young age. But this was a new low. When those aliens had attacked New York a month ago, everything had changed for Peter. His aunt and uncle had left for work and never came home. Peter had waited and waited, watching as the new reported more and more casualties.And then the social worker showed up.----Iron Dad Bingo #19- AU: Homeless





	To Have A Home

**Author's Note:**

> My nineteenth prompt for my Iron Dad Bingo was AU: Homeless, so please enjoy!

Peter snuck into the alleyway, his red hoodie pulled over his face. He had been watching the restaurant enough to know that the chef dumped the extras in a trash bag and tossed them into the dumpster. If he waited long enough, he could get the scraps and have the closest thing to a real meal in a week.

So he ducked behind some trash bags next to the dumpster and waited. 

This was not how Peter Parker expected his life to go. Sure, he had dealt with tragedy, losing his parents at a young age. But this was a new low. When those aliens had attacked New York a month ago, everything had changed for Peter. His aunt and uncle had left for work and never came home. Peter had waited and waited, watching as the new reported more and more casualties.

And then the social worker showed up.

She broke the news, that his aunt and uncle were gone, and just stood there as he sobbed. He was barely twelve and had lost everyone. He had felt so sad and empty. Why him? Why did everyone he loved have to die? 

“You’ll have to come with me,” The woman said. Peter had been too numb to realize what was happening, until he was in the orphanage. It was crowded and there weren’t enough beds for all the kids. Food was hard to come by and it seemed to biggest kids ate first. After a week, Peter was miserable. He had barely slept and was being pushed around by almost every kid there. One of them had even broken his glasses. He had tried to fix them with tape, but they just hung loosely on his face.

“Miss?” Peter had asked, going up to the woman in charge of the orphanage. She was a portly woman with wild, frizzy hair, that was barely in a bun. “Could I get new glasses?” 

“You think you’re special you little brat?” The woman spat back at him. 

“I just want to be able to see!” 

And then the woman slapped him. 

Peter had never been hit before. His aunt and uncle weren’t like that. The slap knocked the wind out of him and left a bruise on his face. He and run out of the room crying, as all the kids around laughed at him. He hated that place. It was miserable and horrible and he wanted to leave. 

It took him another week before he finally escaped. In that time, he had been hit several more times. In fact, it seemed the woman in charge of the orphanage took some sort of sick pleasure out of hitting him.

But two weeks after the worst day of his life, Peter snuck out a window and ran. He ran until his chest felt like it was on fire and he had to stop. But he knew he would never go back. He’d rather live on the streets than live in that nightmare.

The boy sighed as he leaned against the dumpster. He wished things hadn’t go this way. That his life hadn’t become so horrible. But mostly, he wanted food. The back door to the restaurant opened and Peter ducked, waiting for the right moment.

But it wasn’t the chef with the day’s scrapped leftovers. It was Iron Man.

* * *

Tony hadn’t wanted to go out that night. He had wanted to stay in and keep working on his suits. It wasn’t safe out there. The battle of New York had shown him that. He needed to keep working to protect everyone he loved. 

But Pepper had insisted on date night, so they had gone out.

Going out wasn’t a great idea. Some parts of Manhattan were still a mess after the battle. Anyone who saw Tony wanted a picture, or an autograph, or to know what happened. Happy was doing a good job of keeping them at bay. But even Happy couldn’t stop the waiter from asking. Tony didn’t answer and Pepper politely shooed him away.  
  
“Are you okay?” She had asked, noticing the tense look on his face. Tony felt weird. Like he was having trouble breathing. Maybe the restaurant just had poor air flow.  
  
“Just need some fresh air honey,” He had said before getting up. He had excused himself and found the back door of the restaurant. He was outside as quick as can be and breathing in the fresh air.  
  
He hated feeling like this. Like he had no control. Like whatever was out there was coming to get him and everyone he loved.   
  
His cycle of worry was interrupted by a crashing sound.  
  
“Who’s there?” Tony asked, looking around wildly. He didn’t have a suit with him, but he could call for it and it would be there in no time. He heard the sound again and breathed out an aggravated breath. “Show yourself!” He moved towards the sound, which seemed to be coming from a large pile of garbage near the dumpster. He heard the sound again and pulled one of the bags out of the way. 

“Please don’t tell the chef!” Tony’s eyes went wide. There was a boy, who looked barely out of elementary school, cowering next to the dumpster. He was wearing a ratty hoodie with holes in it and jeans that looked to be covered in dirt. His eyes were red and he looked exhausted.   
  
“What the hell?” The boy’s eyes went wide as panic crossed his features.   
  
“I’m sorry Mister Iron Man!” He said, the panic evident in his voice. “I just wanted something to eat! Please don’t call the cops.” Tony looked down at the kid, less aggravated and startled and more concerned for the child.

  
“Why would I call the cops?” Tony asked gently, squatting down so he was at the kid’s eye level. The kid didn’t say anything, just looked down at his feet, which were covered in dirty converse. “What’s your name kiddo?”  
  
“Peter.” He looked up a little and Tony felt nothing but sadness for this scared kid.  
  
“Well I’m…”

“Iron Man,” Peter said. “I used to have your poster in my room. At least, when I had a room.” Tony went to put his hand on the kid’s shoulder. When he lifted his hand, the kid flinched and jumped back. “Please don’t hurt me!” Tony was startled by his response. And suddenly, he was a boy himself, staring at the eyes of someone who was supposed to love him, but only seemed interested in scolding him and punishing him. 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Tony said gently. “I’m sorry for scaring you.” Peter’s eyes teared up a little. “It’s okay. Just, tell me what happened.” So Peter launched into his tale. A sick feeling crawled up through Tony as he listened. This kid, who looked so small and innocent had lost everything. And then he had been hurt by someone who was supposed to provide a safe place for him. It made him all sick. And even more so, he felt sorry for this kid, who didn’t deserve any of this.

“I don’t want to go back.” Peter didn’t know why he was telling him all of this. Maybe because he was a superhero and he was supposed to help people. But everyone who was supposed to help him at the orphanage had been cruel. Would Iron Man be the same way?

Tony looked at the boy. He could see, under his hoodie, that he had messy brown curly hair, sticking out on all ends. He sounded smart; hell the kid had managed to run away and not get caught. And he had been through too much tragedy. He didn’t deserve what life had given him. And for some reason, Tony wanted to help him. 

“I’m not going to let that happen,” Tony said. He needed to help this kid. He needed to protect him. There were tears falling from the kid’s eyes, they had been since he started explaining what had happened to him. Tony gently reached over and wiped them away. This time, the boy didn’t flinch or jump away. Peter just looked at him. Because for the first time in weeks, he felt like he could actually trust someone. 

“How about we find a McDonalds and I’ll tell you all about being Iron Man?” Peter looked up at him.

“Really?” He asked. His voice sounded so small and innocent. Tony smiled and nodded. Peter stared at him warily. Everyone lately had been so cruel to him. But Iron Man wasn’t. Maybe someone was going to keep him safe. Maybe he wasn’t alone in this world. Peter then nodded, accepting the offer. Tony pulled out his phone and quickly texted Happy and Pepper asking to get the car. He’d explain to them later. Right now, he felt like buying the kid every item on the kid’s menu at McDonalds. In fact, maybe he would just buy the kid a McDonalds.

“Mister Iron Man?” Peter asked, looking up at him. “Thank you.” Tony smiled and ruffled the boy’s hair. That seemed to earn him a look of awe from the boy. And then without hesitation, Peter threw his arms around Tony’s neck and hugged him. Because for the first time in weeks, an adult wasn’t telling him his family was gone or yelling at him or hitting him. He was just being kind to him.

Tony was startled at first, but then hugged him back. Something about this boy made Tony want to protect him and keep him safe. He had been through enough hardships. He deserved something better. 

He was going to protect this boy. Of that he was certain.

**Author's Note:**

> Scream with me on my Tumblr? https://doctornineandthreequarters.tumblr.com/


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